I have recently acquired a KLR 250, and it is having trouble shifting up from 1st to 2nd. It just finds neutral and stays there. It takes anywhere from 3 to about 20 up-shifts to get it into 2nd, usually by which time I've rolled to a stop.

From what I can tell, it shifts up (it goes CLUNK), but then drops back down to neutral.

Kawasaki uses what they call a "positive neutral finder" in their transmissions. This is in most cases a pair or trio of ball bearings that reside in a milled grove inside the output shaft and prevent 2nd from sliding into place unless the shaft is spinning, so that an up shift from first with the bike stationary will only go as far as neutral.

On a few Kawasakis I have seen these bearings get stuck in their slots or damaged and prevent the shift even after the output shaft is spinning. The first thing I would do is change the oil and see if new clean stuff will be enough to free up the bearings. If and when that fails, try freeing the bearings by smartly rapping on the end of the output shaft while spinning the tire. This combination has worked for me on a few occasions, and once the bearings move freely again the problem seems to resolve itself. In the cases I've personally dealt with, the bikes had been sitting for a few years, which may have lead to the bearings getting stuck in place.

If that doesn't work, the transmission will need to be dismantled and the bearings either replaced (if you want to retain the neutral finder) or removed.

Kawasaki uses what they call a "positive neutral finder" in their transmissions. This is in most cases a pair or trio of ball bearings that reside in a milled grove inside the output shaft and prevent 2nd from sliding into place unless the shaft is spinning, so that an up shift from first with the bike stationary will only go as far as neutral.

On a few Kawasakis I have seen these bearings get stuck in their slots or damaged and prevent the shift even after the output shaft is spinning. The first thing I would do is change the oil and see if new clean stuff will be enough to free up the bearings. If and when that fails, try freeing the bearings by smartly rapping on the end of the output shaft while spinning the tire. This combination has worked for me on a few occasions, and once the bearings move freely again the problem seems to resolve itself. In the cases I've personally dealt with, the bikes had been sitting for a few years, which may have lead to the bearings getting stuck in place.

If that doesn't work, the transmission will need to be dismantled and the bearings either replaced (if you want to retain the neutral finder) or removed.

Tim... Thanks You. That's just about the best answer I could have hoped for. That's the first thing I will try.

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